That's What You Think
by ReikoOkinawa
Summary: COMPLETE When Kagome ends up in jail for a drunk driving accident, her world is turned upside down. Will three men be able to right it? KagxSess
1. Shock

Hey. This is my first fanfic in, oh, maybe four years. So far, it doesn't seem too horrible. Please read it and tell me what you think so I know whether or not to continue.  
  
Disclaimer: Alas, the gorgeous Sesshoumaru, his bad-boy, attractive little brother, and the ruggedly handsome wolf demon are not mine. Yet.  
  
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Chapter 1- Shock [Prologue]  
  
The news was shocking. Of all the things that that phone call could have meant, this was the last thing Kagome had expected. Sure, she had cried for a while. But crying wasn't enough anymore. She needed to stop the pain.  
  
She needed to forget.  
  
Now, she drove shakily towards the nearest bar. She knew she was driving too fast. She knew she was weaving on the road. And she knew it was fully annoying the driver behind her.  
  
And she didn't even care.  
  
After all, why should she? Her mother was dead. While driving home one night, she had had a head-on collision. She had been killed instantly. Kagome had heard all about it.  
  
Now she wanted to forget.  
  
But all that mattered now was getting to this bar. She halted abruptly and she swiveled into the parking space. Hurriedly pulling out the keys from the ignition, she grabbed her purse and hurried inside.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
"Come on, one morrre. I wo-on't tell anyonnne, proo-oomise," the girl slurred drunkenly. This man thought he had the right to deny her the one thing she needed to forget. The pain was less intense, but it was still there. And Kagome didn't like that. Not one bit.  
  
"HEY! I'm talking to you!" She slammed a handful of cash onto the counter.  
  
"Little lady, you've had quite enough. Now take your cash, and go home. You have someone to drive you? I sure hope so, because I'd feel kinda guilty if somethin' happened. I know you're hurtin', but drinkin' only leads to more problems." The kindly looking man was looking sorry, but he was firm with his decision.  
  
With a frustrated scream, Kagome grabbed her money and stormed out. She thrust her keys angrily into the ignition and sped sloppily away. When she passed the red light, she didn't even see the mother leading her small toddler across the street.  
  
Kagome didn't have time to wonder why this mother was out so late with her child. She didn't even have time to jerk the steering wheel. She just stared in horror as her little silver mustang smashed hard against the frightened woman and her child. She'll never forget the look of sheer terror on the woman's face. She'll never forget the blood splattered all over her windshield.  
  
And she'll never, ever forget the screams.  
  
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So, what did you think? Is it any good? Review and tell me what you think. My next chapter's already done, so I'll probably post it once I've typed it up, and.if I get any reviews.  
  
This chapter is angsty, I know, and I'm sorry. It's also really short when I look at it. The next one will be longer, I promise. And less morbid. 


	2. I'll Break Your Face

Thank you so much for the reviews! This one's longer, but not quite enough, still. Once I get into it a bit more, the chapters will get much longer.  
  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of the Inuyasha crew. Yet.  
  
Chapter 2: I'll Break Your Face  
  
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"Miss Higurashi, this way please."  
  
A stern-looking man led a horror-stricken girl down the numerous rows of cells to a larger one near the end.  
  
The inhabitants consisted of one tough-looking young man with long black hair and violet eyes, a tall, passive seeming man with white blonde hair and amber eyes, and a rugged individual with rich blue eyes and black hair raised in a high ponytail. They were all spread out as far as possible, sending angry glares at each other occasionally.  
  
As Kagome approached the cell, they all turned and stared. The man with the violet eyes looked shocked. His jaw slacked and he mouthed a word Kagome could not make out. The man with the light hair looked on, unamused. The one in the ponytail ogled at her a moment, then grinned smugly.  
  
She, on the other hand, was scared to death.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi, meet your new inmates, Inuyasha, his brother.."  
  
"Ahem."  
  
"Half brother, Sesshoumaru, and, last, but certainly not the least amount of trouble, Kouga. Sorry to stick you with this bunch, but you don't exactly get first choice in prison. My assistant.."  
  
At this, he coughed, at which an all-too-innocent looking man entered, smiling as if there was no thought in his head other than cotton candy and rainbows.  
  
"Hojou will keep an eye out to make sure they won't be too hard on you."  
  
Hojou grinned sheepishly at Kagome, while her new cellmates gained some self-control. As she was let into the cell, the door closed solidly behind her, and the two left her. Alone. With three strange, yet utterly gorgeous, men.  
  
"..K-Kikyou?" Inuyasha whispered weakly.  
  
"Kikyou? KIKYOU?! What the heck is the matter with you?!"  
  
Kagome was frustrated to tears by now. She was in jail. And this man was calling her by some name. For no apparent reason. There was no way she was going to take this from this guy.  
  
He seemed shocked, and rather hurt, but eventually a look of realization crossed his face.  
  
"My name is Kagome. Get it right. Ka-GO-me."  
  
Sighing, she glanced at the smugly grinning man.  
  
"What at YOU looking at?"  
  
"Don't you see? Its fate. You're going to be my woman." He raised one cocky eyebrow, but her retort was drowned out by Inuyasha's taunt.  
  
"You're right, wench. Kikyou was much prettier. And there's no way she'd be here.."  
  
He had seemed ready to add to that, but stopped, and Kagome totally missed the sadness that flashed through his eyes as she fumed.  
  
Seething quite fully now, Kagome proceeded to slap both of the men hard across the face.  
  
"ONE, I am NO ONE'S woman! And, TWO, I don't know nor care who you're talking about, but I DON'T want to hear about it. Understood?"  
  
Though at first shocked at the effrontery of this woman, they soon recovered their cocky smirks, so she turned on the third man.  
  
"So, you have anything to add?" She questioned all too calmly.  
  
"Yes. While this foolish half-breed and the animalistic barbarian may take your attitude, I, Sesshoumaru, will not tolerate it."  
  
To this, she merely rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh, please. Get over yourself."  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
"Listen, Kouga, I don't even know you. I am not your woman."  
  
Kagome sighed. She was too tired to deal with this today. Due to the fact that the arguing had continued on much too late for her tastes, she was dead tired.  
  
And on top of that, Hojou had told her a monk that regularly visited to preach to the prisoners was arriving today. What he had left out, though Inuyasha had not, was that the monk was a total lecher.  
  
He hit on every attractive female in the vicinity. Whether she be worker or prisoner, she had a good chance of being groped within his visiting hours.  
  
When the notorious monk had arrived, he had passed by her cell and stopped, grinning in a way that could only be described as perverted.  
  
"Well, hello, Miss. What's a lovely lady like you doing sitting in there with those ruffians?"  
  
At first she had been shocked, but then she had shrugged as if indifferent- an expression she had quickly picked up from Sesshomauru.  
  
"I take it you're Miroku. Well, you know, they're not so bad. And you know what else?"  
  
She motioned him closer, as if to tell him a secret. He leaned forward much to eagerly. Kagome leaned over and whispered seductively.  
  
"If you so much as look at me that way again, I'll break your face."  
  
As she said this, she grabbed the collar of his robes and pulled him to her, knocking his face hard into the bars of her cell.  
  
That she learned from Inuyasha.  
  
"Owww.. What was that for? I was only trying to be nice."  
  
He looked so innocent, and she realized she was probably being too hard on him. Its not like she could really trust Inuyasha's word on anything.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miroku. I'm just stressed."  
  
His pitiful expression turned to one of hope a bit too quickly.  
  
"Then I must ask you, fair lady," he said excitedly, grabbing her hand and kneeling, "would you bear my child?"  
  
Kagome seemed merely shocked at first. But Inuyasha's snickering brought her senses back enough to yank Miroku's arm back behind her, slamming him once again into the cell bars. Kouga looked furious that this monk would dare touch what was rightfully his, and Sessomauru completely ignored the situation.  
  
"Hentai! And you really call yourself a monk?!"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. Of course I'm a monk."  
  
His feigned innocence did not fool her this time and she turned away from him, only to have Kouga wrap his arms tightly around her.  
  
"Do not worry, I won't let this lecher touch you again, Kagome."  
  
She seemed rather shocked, and quirked an eyebrow at him. She didn't even notice the monk slip uneasily away.  
  
"Ah, ..thanks, Kouga, but I think I can take care of myself."  
  
"Nonsense! A man should protect his woman from adulterous monks."  
  
With a frustrated growl, she pulled away from his embrace and flopped onto her bunk.  
  
"Hey, wench. Don't say I didn't warn you," Inuyasha yelled haughtily over to the girl in the bunk.  
  
Jerking her head up, she was suddenly grateful she had a top bunk-no head injuries resulted. She stormed up to Inuyasha and threw a hard punch to his face, knocking the surprised convict to the ground.  
  
"That's it, dog. Sit."  
  
With a smirk, she turned back and lay once again on her bunk, fully missing the respective look given her by the more calm of her cellmates. She did not, however, miss the wild laughing coming from Kouga.  
  
"HA! You deserved that one, dog breath!"  
  
At that, Inuyasha leapt up and then dropped into a fighting stance.  
  
His anger was an obvious mix of embarrassment that he was just knocked down by a woman, and the fact that Kouga, the only person who could get on his nerves as much as his half-brother, was mocking him.  
  
"Come over here and say that, Kouga."  
  
They didn't, however, get the chance to throw any punches, because Hojou had witnessed the entire thing, had ran to find his employer to break it up.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
When all the prisoners were gathered in a slightly filthy auditorium, the inmates were forced to sit together. In the front.  
  
Inuyasha sat to the left of Kouga, who was next to Kagome. On Kagome's right was Sesshomaru.  
  
The girl was noticeably uncomfortable sitting in Miroku's direct line of perverted vision. On top of that, she was sitting between Kouga and Sesshomaru.  
  
Kouga continued to warn Sesshomaru to keep his hands off his woman, something to which Sesshomaru easily ignored. It wasn't like he was planning on touching her anyway.  
  
After the sermon was over, Kagome noticed Miroku flirting shamelessly with the woman who cooked for the prisoners. She thought she had heard her called Sango, and wondered why such a normal looking girl wanted to work in a prison.  
  
But she could help but laugh when Sango whacked Miroku with her serving spoon, cracking the wooden utensil and knocking the monk out cold, knowing all too well he had said or touched something clearly off limits.  
  
As they were being herded back to their cells, she felt a hand tap her shoulder and then grab her sleeve, tugging her back, away from Kouga and Inuyasha, who were trading insults.  
  
Turning around curiously, she looked into the amber eyes of her quietest cellmate.  
  
"What is it, Sesshomaru?"  
  
She quirked a brow, confusion written all over her face. After all, this man rarely ever said a word to her, and when he did speak, it was to insult someone.  
  
"I just wanted to..to say that..you're not too horrible for a cellmate. You seem to be able to handle those two fools rather well.."  
  
Kagome was shocked. Sesshomaru, complementing her? That can't be right..  
  
He noticed her surprise, and attempted to save at least a shred of his cold attitude.  
  
"..For a girl, anyway."  
  
She blinked, then rolled her eyes. She knew it was too good to be true. Oh well. It was better that him totally ignoring her.  
  
With a smile and a shrug, Kagome decided she wouldn't let him think he got away with switching back to his cold demeanor.  
  
"Well, thanks, Sess. I appreciate the almost-complement."  
  
With that, she hurried back to her cell, leaving Sesshomaru to stand, blink and just stare at her retreating back.  
  
He didn't even try to stop the corners of his mouth from twitching upwards.  
  
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Hey, thanks for reading. What'd you think?  
  
I know I haven't gotten far enough to really give you much of an idea of the couples, but ya'll can tell me who you want Kagome paired up with, and I'll probably use it.  
  
So, who's it going to be? Kag/Sess, Kag/Koug, Kag/Mir, or Kag/Inu?  
  
A note, though. I don't really want to pair Kagome with Inuyasha on this one. I might, if enough people review and say they want that pairing, but otherwise, I'd prefer a different pairing. And if you want to see Sango with Miroku in this story, you can tell me that, too. 


	3. How Would You Like It?

Wow, thirteen reviews already. Thanks so much, you guys! All right, well, here's chapter three. I hope you like.  
  
Disclaimer: Yes! I own Inuyasha! So sue me. Okay, no, please don't. All I have is a nickel and an empty gum wrapper. But I can just give you those. That'll be $273 for Shipping & Handling. Pleasure doing business with you.  
  
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Chapter 3: How Would You Like It?  
  
*-{Sesshomaru's POV}-*  
  
I suppose her kindness towards me was unexpected, and I reveled in the fact that passersby were too busy to notice my smile.  
  
After all, it would have ruined my hard-earned reputation.  
  
When we headed to dinner that night, the seating arrangement was a bit different.  
  
I still sat at Kagome's right, but this time Inuyasha was at her left, and Kouga sat across from her, all the while giving me and that half-breed warning glares.  
  
The meal consisted of some meat product slopped onto old bread, as well as something that was supposedly pork and beans.  
  
Kagome only stared at it disgustedly, while Kouga and Inuyasha dug in like starved animals, and I, of course, ate with the proper manners.  
  
"What, too good for prison food?"  
  
She sent Inuyasha an angry glare.  
  
"I'm a vegetarian."  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
She nodded, then pushed her plate away and sipped her milk.  
  
"You shouldn't drink that, then. Think, some poor, innocent cow had to be milked for that. How would you like it if someone came up and milked you?"  
  
Though I knew he hadn't meant it in the way everyone heard it, it didn't mean that even I, Sesshomaru, nearly spit out my food. It didn't keep Kagome from looking on with total shock.  
  
And it didn't change the fact that Kouga was utterly furious.  
  
"You pervert! I can't believe you just said that!"  
  
Kagome beat Kouga to it, but he still stood up and began to roll up his sleeves, eyes flashing.  
  
"Feh. You perverts. I didn't mean it that way."  
  
I was even a bit angry. Not for Kagome, of course. But for the fact that he had such rude audacity. And the fact that he claimed relation to me.  
  
Why on earth would I be defensive of that girl, anyways?  
  
*-{Inuyasha's POV}-*  
  
I honestly wasn't trying to be perverted. Perhaps Miroku visited the prison more often than we realized.  
  
Kouga's fighting stance did not go unnoticed, and despite the fact that Kagome was furious with me, I could tell she was trying to calm Kouga down.  
  
"Kouga, it's okay! Don't worry about it! Just sit down and drink something."  
  
"Kagome! Didn't you her what dog-breath said to you?! He had no right!"  
  
Though she put on a good show, I noticed when her slight headache was acted out to be a bit of a more serious migraine.  
  
"Kouga, please. This is really making my head hurt. Could you just let it go, this once?"  
  
Her voice had turned to pleading, and even I couldn't deny the look of sincere worry on his face as he calmed down considerably and ran to our side of the table to examine her more carefully.  
  
"Kagome, I'm so sorry. I did not mean to cause you pain."  
  
Her strained smile caused a pain in my chest I had not previously noticed.  
  
In fact, it was a feeling I hadn't felt since I noticed Kikyou spending excess time with the leader of one of the most notorious gangs in all of Japan.  
  
His name was Naraku or something.  
  
But that was the past. It didn't matter anymore.  
  
As Kouga led Kagome, with the supervision of a worried Hojou, back to the cell, I realized with sudden annoyance that the look on my half-brothers's face certainly must have mirrored mine all too well.  
  
And it was a look I recognized as jealousy.  
  
*-{Kouga's POV}-*  
  
As I led Kagome back to the cell, I couldn't help but fume at Inuyasha's comment.  
  
And why on earth would Kagome defend him? It must be her headache.  
  
After all, she's destined to be mine, and she'll figure that out soon enough.  
  
"Kagome, dear, do you need some aspirin? Hey, you, Homo, get Kagome some aspirin."  
  
The boy looked a little too worried about Kagome as he closed the cell door. I had to distract him.  
  
"Huh? Actually, it's Hojou. And of course I'll get her some. I'll be right back."  
  
As he hurried off, I led Kagome to sit at the edge of my bed, not wanting her to have to climb all the way to her top bunk.  
  
As I clutched her hand, she glanced strangely at me.  
  
"Kouga, why is it you're so much nicer that Inuyasha?"  
  
I smirked at this. Good. She knew I was better than that dog turd.  
  
"Because he doesn't care for you like I do. He'd never understand such emotions. He's nearly as cold as Sesshomaru. I'd never treat you like that. I'll love you like they never could."  
  
My last sentence was a husky whisper as I leaned closer to her. Her eyes darted to my lips and I couldn't help but grin.  
  
This was it.  
  
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Ooh. Cliffhanger. Anyways. Sorry 'bout that whole 'milking you' thing. I know it could be taken really perverted (as it was in the story), but someone said that to me the other day and I had to use it.  
  
I haven't gotten many votes by way of pairings, yet. So.I think I'll wait until I've gotten more reviews before posting chapter four. Mwahahaha.*cough*  
  
I guess if it goes to long without me getting many reviews, though, I'll post anyway.  
  
Thank you very much, for those of you who have reviewed. Its good to know some people actually read what I'm writing.  
  
Luff and smooches to all,  
  
Reiko 


	4. Be A Man

Hey! Thanks so much for all the reviews! Alright, well, the voting is more or less ended, unless a bunch of people suddenly decide to add their input. The result is: Sess/Kag! Actually, I was kind of disappointed. I wanted to make it Koug/Kag. But that's all right, because Sess is such a bishouen. ^.~ However, since I have yet to read a Koug/Kag fic, I think that's something I'll start working on.  
  
Some review responses:  
  
Molly-chan the Anime/Game fan: Thanks so much for reading! And for reviewing. Your reviews are hilarious, I love reading them!  
  
gatogirl1: I knew your question would come up. I'm sure that, to be realistic, there would be separate wards. But, would the story be half as interesting if they saw each other that rarely? ^.~;; I know it takes away some of the realism, but for my story to do what it was doing, that wouldn't have worked out. However, the juvenile ward may come into play later on in this story.. Take a guess at whom that would include. ^.- And, yes, Kouga is oh SO hot. ^^;;  
  
Kirby of Rainbow Chaos: Thank you for reading! I appreciate that you've reviewed multiple times. Its good to know when people keep up with a story.  
  
Princess Athelia: I know what you mean about the rare pairings. I love Mir/Kag and Koug/Kag fics, but I see very few Mir/Kag and I've not once seen a Koug/Kag. Ill try and write up a Kouga and Kagome one soon, but this time it just didn't work out. :-(  
  
Everyone else, thank you for reviewing! And reading, for that matter! ^.-  
  
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Chapter 4: Be A Man  
  
Kouga continued to lean forward, oblivious to Kagome's look of unsureity. Just as his lips were about to brush hers..  
  
A shrill scream echoed throughout the prison halls.  
  
Kagome ran to the door of their cell, and Kouga scowled in fierce annoyance, a growl tickled the back of his throat, loud enough for Kagome to hear.  
  
"H-Hojou? What's wrong?"  
  
Her cellmate burst out laughing, despite his anger, at Kagome's unveiling of the source of that scream.  
  
"H-Higurashi-sama! It..it is a mouse.."  
  
This only sent Kouga into another round of wild howls, which was cut short as he recalled what had been interrupted.  
  
"Be a man, Hojou. Its just a mouse. Besides, you scream like a girl, man."  
  
Hojou blushed and ran off to find Myouga or Kaede, the old couple who ran the prison, to discuss the rodent problem.  
  
Turning back to Kagome, who seem slightly amused as well, he turned her gently towards him and once again leaned forward for the kiss, pleased at her surprise.  
  
However, loud voices soon interrupted him. Again.  
  
Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were soon allowed back into their cell, Inuyasha giving Kouga evil looks, and Sesshomaru's cold mask seemingly pierced with the slightest bit of anger, also directed towards Kouga.  
  
Growling furiously, the man to whom their anger was directed threw himself onto his bunk and pouted. In the most manly way possible, of course. By pretending it didn't bother him.  
  
Inuyasha quirked one thick brow and glanced at Kagome.  
  
"What exactly were you two up to, wench?"  
  
"Ooh! What is your problem? What did I EVER do to you?!"  
  
"You got yourself stuck in my cell."  
  
He tried to act like he meant it, but Sesshomaru saw through the façade fairly easily.  
  
Kagome didn't frankly know how to respond, and looked rather hurt, actually, which made him regret his comment a little.  
  
However, Sesshomaru saved Kagome from her dilemma and Inuyasha from having to fight with Kouga, who was again seething.  
  
"So, Kagome, why exactly are you here? You don't seem the type to land herself in jail."  
  
She was a bit surprised, and unwanted memories flooded back in unbearable waves. The drinks. The blood. The screams.  
  
Her eyes welled up with tears, and Sesshomaru felt his heart sink. He hadn't meant to make her cry. However, his face hid this feeling with such a mask that she had no idea.  
  
"I had found out my mother had died. There was a wreck. She had been thrown from the car and pinned to a tree. The witnesses said she had felt only intense pain in her final moments."  
  
Small crystalline droplets now leaked from her eyes, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. Her voice choked as she continued.  
  
"When I found out, I got drunk. Really drunk. The bartender had to cut me off. When I was driving home, I.. I didn't see the stoplight. I hit a pregnant woman and her child.  
  
They were both killed, and the factors of my being drunk, and her unborn child, as well as her toddler all added up to landing me in here on murder charges."  
  
Her tears flowed more freely now, and the trio all stared in sympathetic shock.  
  
Inuyasha was freaking out because she was crying, Kouga was distressed by her mental anguish, and though Sesshomaru refused to let it show, he felt his heart clench, and he longed to reach out and comfort her.  
  
But that would be far too uncharacteristic. So, they all merely sat and watched her cry, each wishing they could ease her pain.  
  
"So.."  
  
She finally managed a smile through her watery eyes and tear-stained cheeks.  
  
"..What about you all? How'd you end up in here?"  
  
Inuyasha was the one who spoke first.  
  
"I tried to steal a rare, important jewel. I was doing just fine, too, until I was deceived. K-Kikyou, someone I..trusted..told Naraku of my plans and he made certain I was caught."  
  
Kagome raised a brow, not understanding the significance of whatever jewel he had attempted to accumulate, nor certain of his relationship with this Kikyou girl.  
  
The name, Naraku, was unknown to her, so it made the story a bit more confusing that it would have otherwise been.  
  
Sesshomaru had heard the story before. Kouga growled a bit when hearing Naraku's name, then took the liberty to explain what he had done.  
  
"Well, I was really popular, you know."  
  
Inuyasha snorted, but Kouga only glared at him and continued.  
  
"Some of my many comrades, who had went off to meet another group to try and kill off Naraku, were killed by some of his gang. I went after him. I almost killed him, too, but obviously I only ended up here."  
  
Kagome's surprise was registered on her face, but he hadn't noticed. He was too upset about the memories of the incident.  
  
Inuyasha shrugged, and Sesshomaru muttered a polite little cough, giving him the chance to speak.  
  
"I had a servant who was utterly annoying. Jaken was his name. I performed experiments on him, trying to give him toad-like qualities that eventually resulted in his unnoticed death. Or so I thought, until the authorities showed up at my door."  
  
She realized after the first two stories she shouldn't be surprised but they continued to astound her.  
  
"I..I don't really know what to say."  
  
Her first thought was that she was stuck in a cell with a thief, an almost- murderer, and a mad scientist murderer. Except that Sesshomaru definitely wasn't the mad scientist type.  
  
And in retrospect, she was a murderer too.  
  
She had no right to judge them. She was even more horrible that any of them. She had killed a woman, a toddler, and an unborn child. She didn't even deserve to be in the same cell as them.  
  
But, somehow, she was glad she was.  
  
Sure, Inuyasha was rude and obnoxious. Sure, Kouga was obsessive and assuming. And, sure, Sesshomaru was cold and quiet. But she wouldn't trade them for anyone.  
  
They were kind to her, all things considered, and she enjoyed their company more than she would like to admit.  
  
"I'm sorry about your mom, Kagome."  
  
She looked up quickly, surprised at the words coming from his mouth. It wasn't something she had expected from him.  
  
~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~  
  
Who is "he"? Take a wild guess. If you don't know, you'll just have to wait until next time to find out. In the meantime.. Anyone know of any good Koug/Kag, Ship/Kag, or Mir/Kag fics? I can never seem to find any..  
  
Thank you for reading! Catch y'all later.  
  
Luff and Smooches,  
  
Reiko 


	5. Juvenile Hall

I am so sorry for the delay! Life has been incredibly hectic.. Tests, failing grades, the works. Here it is, finally. I wanted to make it longer, but I think y'all have waited long enough. Muchos gracias, to all my reviewers. Thirty, already! ^^  
  
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Chapter 5: Juvenile Hall  
  
Sesshomaru looked solemnly back down at her, smiling inwardly at her surprise. He understood the pain of losing a mother more so even than his half brother would.  
  
"Thank you, Sesshomaru."  
  
Kouga glanced warily at Sesshomaru, while Inuyasha was merely shocked. His brother was never this cordial-to anyone.  
  
Sesshomaru shook his head. What was the matter with him? He hated being nice, being sympathetic. It was something he just didn't like doing. So, why did it come so naturally to him around this girl?  
  
He didn't like what she was doing to him. He was always able to repress these kinds of emotions, so.. Why not now?  
  
He lay down on his bed, signaling the end of his participation in this conversation.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
"Oomph!!"  
  
Kagome awoke to the sound of someone being thrown harshly into the cell across from hers. Her eyes remained shut, but her hearing strained to catch what was said.  
  
"HA! It's about time you landed yourself in here! On multiple sexual harassment charges, no less!"  
  
Now Kagome opened her eyes, not surprised to see Miroku on his knees in a cell, with Sango laughing haughtily from the other side of the bars. Myouga and Kaede stood behind her, keeping their eyes on the two.  
  
"But, Lady Sango! It only means that I will be able to see you all the more often! And for that alone, it is worth it."  
  
This only caused Sango to utter a frustrated scream as she stormed off, by now having woken the entire facility.  
  
Kagome's cellmates slowly roused, smirking at the sight of Miroku across the hall from them.  
  
"So, Miroku, you've finally decided to join us, eh?"  
  
He nodded sadly at Kouga, while Inuyasha merely laughed at him and Sesshomaru, as usual, remained silent.  
  
Kaede coughed loudly and glanced at the prisoners through her one good eye.  
  
"As most of ye are familiar with, the juvenile hall will be bringing down their inhabitants for ye all to care for today. Ye will each be assigned a child, and those of ye who have requested will get the same child ye got last time. We appreciate yer cooperation in this event. We know that the children appreciate it, too."  
  
With that last note, she followed after her husband and left the prisoners to discuss this event. Kagome didn't seem to understand, so she looked towards her cellmates for a better explanation. Sesshomaru was the only one who answered her.  
  
"We are each assigned a juvenile delinquent for the day. We will spend time with them. We will eat with them. We are to cater to their emotional needs for the day. Its sort of a big brother, big sister program for prisoners."  
  
She nodded, and then glanced around at the group.  
  
"So, who do you all usually get? Are they really horrible? Or just mildly troublesome?"  
  
Inuyasha snorted, and Kouga sighed. Sesshomaru, once again, was the first to answer.  
  
"I always request the same girl. Her name is Rin."  
  
Kagome nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at the other two.  
  
"I always get some little brat named Shippo. Nobody will ever take him, so they always stick him with me."  
  
She quirked a brow, not doubting that he was exaggerating the situation. The kid couldn't really be that bad.  
  
"What about you, Kouga?"  
  
He grunted, and then smiled apologetically at her, realizing it was Kagome, after all.  
  
"I get a little girl named Mayu. She's got spirit, let me tell you."  
  
Myouga told Hojou then to bring the prisoners into the auditorium. Once entering, they were told to find the child they would care for.  
  
Sesshomaru went automatically to where an adorable little girl with black hair and a bring smile stood, jumping up and down. Kouga found a girl with pigtails and an angry scowl. Inuyasha seemed hesitant as a little boy with bright red hair sat glaring up at him.  
  
"Come on, brat."  
  
The boy pouted, then glanced over at Kagome. He noted that she seemed upset at how Inuyasha was speaking towards him, and scampered up to her with the cutest smile he could manage.  
  
"Hello! I'm Shippou. Will you be my partner today? Inuyasha's a big meanie."  
  
She grinned brightly and nodded, and he jumped into her arms. Inuyasha grunted and muttered as he went in search of a different kid.  
  
Miroku, she noted, had found a young girl named Koharu. She also noted that several of these children looked much too innocent to be in jail. Well, she'd find out their stories soon enough.  
  
"Hey, Sesshomaru, this must be Rin, huh?"  
  
Sesshomaru nodded slightly and watched as she bent over and smiled sweetly at the child.  
  
"Hey, there, sweetie. I'm Kagome."  
  
He had to work hard to suppress the smile that threatened to creep onto his face. She was good with children, he noticed, and Rin beamed adorably at her.  
  
"Hello, Kagome! I'm Rin! Are you friends with Sesshomaru-sama?"  
  
Kagome nodded, and smiled up at Sesshomaru, who was wondering with deep curiosity what that weird feeling in his chest was.  
  
~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
What did you think? I just couldn't resist bringing in the younger characters. ^^ 


	6. The Orange Jumpsuit Doesn't Do Him Justi...

Hey, people. Thanks so much for the reviews! I thought I should better explain the event of last chapter, regarding the little brother/sister program thing.  
  
It is a selective process. The people in charge balance out a convicts' personality, crime, length of time in jail, and tolerance, and then they do the same with the children. And, remember, these aren't just regular kids. They're criminals. Most of the ones selected are the really tough kids, like Shippou or Mayu. How Rin and Koharu came in the mix, I don't know. It may be that they found that their personalities would be good for certain people. Plus, all of it is supervised. It's not realistic, I know. And I'm sorry. But it's just a story, people. Dog demons and magic wells aren't very realistic either.  
  
Disclaimer: Yes. I own Inuyasha. I bought him at a black market. He is my slave. Deal with it.  
  
~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
Kagome stood off to the side, not far from Sesshomaru, but not touching either, as they watched Shippou and Rin playing together adorably.  
  
"Why is she in juvie? She doesn't seem the type. Most of these kids don't."  
  
He glanced warily at her. He didn't really know how much to tell her, but the genuinity sparkling in her eyes begged for some sort of answer.  
  
"She didn't do it. Some kids made it look like it, but it wasn't her."  
  
Kagome frowned, and glanced despairingly towards the girl smiling happily, bearing no grudges to the cruel world that had dealt her such an unfair fate.  
  
"What was it exactly that she didn't do?"  
  
"She never told me. I won't push her, but no one else seems to know, either."  
  
"Oh. Wow, that's horrible.."  
  
Sesshomaru nodded slightly and turned towards her a bit.  
  
"What brought your charge in?"  
  
She continued to be amazed at how such an aristocratic man was in jail. He was so proper; the orange jumpsuit really didn't do him justice.  
  
"Shippou is apparently a big troublemaker. He tried stealing gems, and that put him on probation. But what really got him in was that he killed two men. They were his father's murderers, but he couldn't prove it, so, yeah."  
  
He nodded slightly, once again, and continued to watch the children. When the dinner bell sounded, they were expected to gather up their charges.  
  
"Rin. Stop that now. It is time for the meal."  
  
She turned from the dead rat Shippou was dangling in front of her and her wailing ceased. She grinned and ran towards him.  
  
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!"  
  
Shippou dropped the rat and was at least decent enough to look apologetic when Kagome scolded him for torturing poor little Rin. He ran up behind the girl and tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry, Rin."  
  
With that, he scampered ahead, Kagome losing sight of him briefly, until she noticed a black-haired man growling angrily.  
  
"Stop gnawing on my head, brat!"  
  
"Help! Kagome! Inuyasha is picking on me again!"  
  
She glared at him and he glanced back, obviously annoyed and offended.  
  
"He started it! Come back here, you little brat!"  
  
She watched as he chased the boy in little circles, people avoiding them purposefully.  
  
"Boys! Stop it or we're not going to get any food!"  
  
She hauled Shippou up and left Inuyasha behind, sulking and muttering, "It wasn't my fault," under his breath.  
  
When they sat to eat, Shippou insisted on sitting in her lap. Sesshomaru sat to her left and Inuyasha to her right. Rin sat on Sesshomaru's left, but as Inuyasha didn't want to care for another kid, he sat alone. Kouga sat opposite Sesshomaru, with Mayu to his right, and Miroku and Koharu to his left.  
  
"Miroku, I feel I will soon be old enough to bear you the son you deserve!"  
  
All eyes turned silently to Koharu, Kagome's filled with disgust, as were most others'.  
  
"Miroku, you pervert! She's only a kid!"  
  
He looked offended, but she had learned better than that.  
  
"Lady Kagome, I can't believe you would think so lowly of me!"  
  
"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, Miroku."  
  
The children rattled on endlessly, until they were finally ushered back to their facility.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
"So, what exactly did that girl, Koharu, do to get there, Miroku?"  
  
He shrugged, sitting in his meditating position on the floor, though they all knew he did it to see up the lady workers' skirts as they walked by.  
  
"Her father saw her as a problem. She was always clingy to strangers, I guess. She said she brought one in once who had actually tried to kill her father. She hadn't known, but he had claimed that she had done it on purpose-that she wanted him dead."  
  
Kagome sighed. These children had fairly tragic stories, and she felt sorry for them, thought she wasn't much better off.  
  
"How about Mayu, Kouga? What did she do?"  
  
He huffed. That little brat was so tiresome, and dealing with her all day had left him sleepy.  
  
"She decided her mom didn't love her, and only gave her brother attention. So she set their house on fire. When her brother landed in the hospital, she kept unplugging his IV tubing to try and finish him off. She doesn't regret it, either. Apparently the little brat thinks it was all worth it, because she gets to get away from them."  
  
Thought the story was sad, Kagome couldn't feel as sympathetic towards this girl as she was to the other children. Mayu sounded horribly spiteful and mean. But it was a result of her thinking such of her mother and brother, so maybe she wasn't really so cruel.  
  
"You all don't care much for these kids, do you? So, why do you do it?"  
  
Inuyasha muttered his trademark "feh," Kouga shrugged-he didn't really know, and Sesshomaru glanced pityingly at her.  
  
"My charge was a victim of a brutal slap from the cruel hand of this world's lack of fairness. She takes it all in stride, however. She does not begrudge those who did this to her, and for that I respect her. I've never seen such bravery in a child."  
  
Kagome looked pleasantly surprised. He, the great Sesshomaru, respected a little girl?"  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
~{Sess's POV}~  
  
Why is she looking at me in such a manner? Did I say something so incredible as to earn such a look? My chest feels peculiar again. What is that? It's not normal, I'm certain.  
  
We all turned when we heard a woman's protests as she was led into a cell nearby.  
  
"You can't do this to me! I won't stand for it."  
  
"Kagura-sama, ye have done the dirty work of Naraku for too many years. If ye tell us where he is, your punishment will be decreased greatly."  
  
"I'll never tell, you old hag. And what have they done with Kanna? She's only a child."  
  
"Me name is Kaede and that is how ye will address me. Kanna has been sent to the Juvenile Delinquent facility. Her sentence is just as long as yours."  
  
"I will call you what I wish. And you can't keep her in jail for life. She's only just a kid."  
  
"We will have this discussion at another time."  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ (A few short minutes later)  
  
"Naraku's minion, eh? "  
  
Inuyasha was seething, as well as was Kouga. The name brought pure hatred and disgust to their minds, and they looked ready to tear open the cell bars and kill her then.  
  
Kagome, slightly frightened by the glint in their eyes, backed up, into the solid chest of Sesshomaru. She blushed and muttered an apology, but he merely placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
Wait. Comforting? Sesshomaru? Kagome blinked in surprise. This was new. She then found her manners and smiled gratefully up at him before turning to the two men growling like animals.  
  
"Where is he? Has he harmed Kikyou?"  
  
Kagura laughed coldly.  
  
"Kikyou went to him willingly, fool, and she was unharmed. You just don't get it, do you? The woman hates you. You betrayed her, and she tried to kill you. What more does it take?"  
  
He growled and punched the wall separating their cells.  
  
"You whore! You know that was Naraku! He tricked us! Why can't she see that?"  
  
"I merely tell what I see. I see hate in her. She despises you and longs to kill you. You are so blind and clueless, you pine for someone who loathes you so fully?"  
  
His anger dimmed and he whimpered.  
  
"Naraku will pay, Kagura. I will do it myself. And Kikyou will love me once again. I will explain everything, and.. And she has to believe me. Doesn't she see how corrupt he is?"  
  
"Maybe that is what draws her in. You weren't bad enough for her."  
  
Inuyasha sighed and slumped against the bars.  
  
"I will win her again. I have to."  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
Longer than the last chapter, but still short. Tell me, would y'all prefer long chapters, updated less often, or short chapters done often?  
  
Thanks for reading. ^^ I appreciate the reviews. I like to know what I can better explain, and what people think. Flames are welcome. I will use them to torture Kikyou. ^_-  
  
Luff and Smooches,  
  
Reiko 


	7. You've Got Some Nerve

Hey people. Here you are with another chapter. Thank you all for your reviews. ^_^ This is definitely my favorite of my two stories to write. This chapter has Kag/Sess cuteness.  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, I own Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Kouga. We live together in my moon bounce. On the moon. Aren't you jealous now?  
  
~~~~~*~~~~*~~~~~  
  
As Kagome slowly began to wake the next morning, the first thing to greet her eyes was white. Pure, silken white floated down to her chest, framing the face of..  
  
SLAP.  
  
"Why the heck are you watching me sleep, Sesshomaru? Get bored taunting everyone else?"  
  
He looked almost hurt, and she regretted her comment immediately. Soon, however, his looked morphed into a look of angry amusement. Her courage against him angered him and intrigued him all at once.  
  
Most women fawned over him, giggling and acting stupid in their shameless admiration. But, this girl, this peculiar creature, with her raven tresses and swirling eyes, acted as if she were his equal, and defied him like no one else had. It was having a strange effect on him, and she was completely oblivious.  
  
"Hello? Are you just going to stand there and stare at me all day?"  
  
She looked a little annoyed now that he wouldn't even respond, just continued to watch her in that amused, pensive stare.  
  
She opened her mouth to throw out another angry question, but before he could stop himself, he had glided up to her, nose hardly an inch from hers.  
  
"You dare speak to me with such defiance?"  
  
His voice was a soft breath against her face, and she found her anger nearly stripped away, his deep amber eyes boring down into her. Until she realized what he was trying to do, that is.  
  
"Yes, I do. You've got some nerve, you kn-"  
  
Her words were cut off abruptly as his lips pressed hungrily to hers and his hand held the small of her back. Her surprise only encouraged him, and while he was not too forceful, the kiss was hard, demanding.  
  
She melted into it, eyes closing as his tongue flicked her bottom lip, and she allowed him access easily. He took full advantage of this, sliding his tongue into her mouth and grinning despite at her sudden submittance. He pulled away only when he felt she was grasping his clothing tightly in desperate need of air.  
  
"Hehe. Way to go, Fluffy."  
  
Sesshomaru turned fiercely to the source of the sound, hand still holding Kagome to him. The lecherous look adorning the monk's face was unmistakable.  
  
"Miroku, please mind your own business. You are tending to place yourself on my final nerve, and I would rather you not wake everyone. Its much too early to fight."  
  
Finally releasing the breathless Kagome, he smiled towards her so briefly, she almost missed it, and he laid down, on her bed. She looked uncertain as to what to do, until he grabbed her hand and pulled her next to him.  
  
She was understandable shocked at this sudden change of behavior. Where was all this coming from? Did she really want to know? Maybe she was better off enjoying it while it lasted. She began to drift off, unconsciously snuggling against his chest.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
I knew this would finally send my brother over the edge. Though he'd never admit it, I noticed how he looked at her, and though he insisted Kikyou was his destined, Kagome was creating herself a place in his heart.  
  
That wasn't why I had done it, though. The little vixen had no idea what she was doing to me when she acted that way, denying me and defying me. It made her irresistible to me, and she had no idea. But now, as I woke up next to her, with my brother glaring down at me, not to mention Kouga, I wondered how I had gotten myself into this mess. I was never one for relationships. Especially not in jail.  
  
"What do you think you're doing, Sesshomaru?"  
  
Inuyasha was even angrier than I had imagined, though Kouga was a good match in anger. They both looked ready to kill me, then and there. Miroku was smirking across the hall, the fool. At least, he was until Sango walked by and gave the man sitting and "meditating" by the bars of his cell a good, solid kick through the bars, just for the way he looked at her as she approached. That done, she turned to the other cell.  
  
"Hey, Higurashi-sama? Can I speak to you?"  
  
This roused the sleeping girl, and split up our argument.  
  
Kagome stood groggily and walked up to the bars. My ears only caught bits of their conversation, but then I saw Sango hand Kagome a small ball of yellow fluff that had been hiding in her bag.  
  
"Could you watch her? I have to pick some stuff up for the kitchen, but I can't take her with me, and I really don't trust anyone else with Kirara."  
  
Kagome smiled and nodded, fawning over the creature as if it were her own newborn child.  
  
The thing was peculiar, I noted as Sango left. Its eyes were humongous and red, and the creature had two tails. It appeared to be some sort of mutated cat. Kagome squealed when the thing yawned, and I had to repress a laugh. The overwhelming cuteness was sickening.  
  
As she sat down on the edge of her bed, where I had long since abandoned, she petted the thing, grinning as it mewed.  
  
"It's so cute!"  
  
"I wonder if it'd taste good."  
  
She glared disgustedly at my foolish brother. He really was a moron. It may have been a joke, but he had just succeeded in gaining the silent treatment from her for the day. She turned away from him and grinned at me.  
  
"Don't you want to pet her? Isn't she the cutest thing?"  
  
I looked at her strangely. She wanted me to touch that? I could tell she'd be angry if I said no, so I reached out and patted the thing's head. I had to admit, it was interesting. I was curious as to how the creature had come to be. Was it an experiment, or a birth defect? My fascination with experimentation had never left me, even when it had resulted in my arrival at this horrid place.  
  
"Do you know where she found this.. Kirara, she called it?"  
  
"She told me she found her outside a toxic waste dump. Poor thing was starving, and she said she just couldn't leave her."  
  
Toxic waste. That probably explained the mutation.  
  
She fondled the thing a while longer, and we all, including Miroku as he gained consciousness, watched in fascination as she coddled the creature so much as if it were her own.  
  
When Sango returned, she thanked Kagome, who looked heartbroken to see the thing go. With a another kick at the monk, sending him unconscious again, she left to the kitchens to fix the place a late breakfast.  
  
~~~~~~*~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
There you go. Kind of short, but that's what the majority of you wanted. Now, the next chapter doesn't come out 'til the review count on this story hits fifty. ^_-  
  
Luff and Smooches  
  
Reiko 


	8. Escape

Konnichiwa! I am so incredibly sorry for the wait. Lack of inspiration and motivation are main reasons. Thank you for the reviews, none the less.  
  
Wyltk: Did I spell it right? ^^ Anyways, I appreciate your comment, but I do write for myself. I never said I would not write until I got that many reviews. I said I would not post. I'm sorry if saying what I did bothers you, but its not like I was asking for twenty, or even ten reviews. It was like five or six, which is generally what I get, anyway. Besides, if I hadn't gotten the reviews, I probably would have posted anyway.  
  
Dragon Rae: Yes. Toxic waste. How else could you really explain something like that? ^_-  
  
Everyone: Thank you for your reviews! I appreciate all feedback, positive and negative.  
  
Disclaimer: I have taken them. They are here, and you will never get them back. No ransom, no deals. They're mine, I tell you!  
  
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"You're a fool. They're old, not stupid."  
  
"It'll work, you'll see."  
  
"Inuyasha! She left you for him! Why would you risk so much for her? For revenge? Your sentence ends within the year! You could be out of here! But if you do this, you'll never leave!"  
  
"Shut up! She loves me! He did something to her, to make her hate me. I'll win her back, just wait."  
  
Sesshomaru only shook his head. As Kagome sat up, she noticed the vehement whispers stopped and they turned to stare at her.  
  
"You better keep this quiet, wench."  
  
She glared at him, trying to restrain a violent retort. And the urge to deck him. Boy, and did she want to. No need, however. Sesshomaru did her the honor.  
  
Inuyasha didn't even see that coming. He fell to the ground and looked bewilderedly at his brother. He knew they held a love-hate relationship, but defending a girl against him? That was new. The guy rarely even lost his temper over anything.  
  
"Watch that foul mouth of yours, Inuyasha. It will get you into serious trouble one day."  
  
The man jumped to his feet and dropped into a fighting stance.  
  
"You wanna make me, brother? Huh? Bring it on, come on, I dare you."  
  
Sesshomaru shook his head, silver hair shivering in response. He began to turn away, but suddenly spun around and hit the ebony haired man square in the jaw, sending him sprawling backwards.  
  
"Stop it! Please!"  
  
Kagome pleaded, watching as the brothers brawled. She didn't like to see them fight.  
  
Sesshomaru turned towards her, knowing she was right to insist they stop. However, Inuyasha took advantage of this and leapt onto the taller man's back, sending him to the ground.  
  
"That is enough!"  
  
The demanding voice of Kaede halted all movement, all sound. All eyes turned towards her, and she barely suppressed a chuckle. Inuyasha was on Sesshomaru's back, pulling his long silver hair as the pretty man grimaced. Of course, her husband, Myouga, would not deal with these situations, so she had to do it herself.  
  
"There will be no brawls in this prison while I run it. Ye both will be given extra work today."  
  
A mutter received a violent glare from the crone.  
  
"A hag I may be, Inuyasha, but that only gives me more reason to increase yer workload even more. Congratulations, Inuyasha. Ye deserve it."  
  
He glared at her sarcasm. He hadn't even started all this! Well, it will be worth it to see her face when she discovers that he has escaped from her oh-so-well-guarded prison. That he has killed for her daughter's love. And when she is told she will be next.  
  
Only, he wouldn't. Because he would be long gone.  
  
He climbed off of his brother's back and plopped into his bunk. He would bide his time. But not for long, because, his chance was near.  
  
xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx  
  
"He's gone! Lady Kaede, a prisoner has escaped!"  
  
Hojou's voice rang throughout the halls, awaking anyone who was not already roused. Prisoners turned half-interested faces towards their bars, almost longingly, as though they wished they would have the nerve to attempt escape.  
  
Kouga leapt up, and Sesshomaru shook his head sadly. He had known this was coming, but he wished it hadn't. He turned towards Kagome's bunk to see her reaction, but nearly gasped at the sight.  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
Kouga spun around, glaring violently at the sudden realization.  
  
"Where is she?!"  
  
Apparently Hojou had not noticed at first glance that the girl was also missing. Revelation dawned on Sesshomaru, and he sunk to his knees at the recognition of betrayal.  
  
"She left. With him."  
  
He had thought her sincere. He had thought her pure, trustworthy. He never thought she would abandon him here to escape with his filthy brother.  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Kouga, admittedly foolishly, grabbed Sesshomaru by the collar, but the silver-haired man was too shocked to respond. He first stared blankly at Kouga, as if he couldn't quite comprehend the question. Finally, he lowered his eyes.  
  
"You knew Inuyasha fancied her. She left with him."  
  
He had thought he'd known better, than to fall for a woman like he fell for Kagome. After all, weren't they all just fickle creatures who followed their whims, rather than listen to their hearts?  
  
Yes, he knew better. But he never thought it would hurt this badly.  
  
Kouga growled, bringing him back to reality.  
  
"Well? What are we going to do about it, Sesshomaru?"  
  
The man shook his head and pushed Kouga away, hard. He didn't see the sense in going after her. She wasn't concerned with him, why should he be concerned for her?  
  
But that logic was useless. He was concerned. He wanted to know if she was okay. He wanted to know if his stupid brother had hurt her. And he wanted to know what Inuyasha had done to convince her.  
  
He was not as blind, nor naive as Inuyasha. He would not presume she was deceived or forced. Better to assume the worst and be prepared, than to take for granted the best possibility and be let down.  
  
His mental barriers were being rebuilt, much too quickly for his liking, and it was making his head hurt. Sesshomaru did not wish to think on this much longer; he had fallen for a woman's charms, and now he must suffer the consequences.  
  
As he turned to lay back down onto his bunk, a flash of pale white caught his eye. A scrap of dirty paper lay previously unnoticed next to his pillow. He unfolded it and squinted to read the scribbled, hurried print.  
  
His eyes narrowed as he finished the note, and his fist slammed suddenly against the wall. Kouga looked at him curiously, and his long silver strands whipped suddenly around as he glared vehemently at Kouga, his only available target.  
  
"He took her. She was kidnapped!"  
  
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Wow. Horrible. Sorry for the wait, and for the general crappiness. .  
  
Cream Puffs & Cheesecake  
  
Reiko 


	9. When You Have Held An Angel

All right well I'd like to begin with MASSIVE apologies to each and every reader who has been waiting for an update to this story.  
  
I have no excuses. Inuyasha has lost its mysticism for me. I haven't watched the show lately because they just keep having reruns, and so, basically, I drifted out of the Inuyasha hype. Ah, but now its one in the morning and I'm typing the final chapter of this story..  
  
I want to thank everyone who has read and/or reviewed this story. I had not stopped updating based on lack of reviews, sorry if that was the impression. I got more, really, than I could have hoped for. I'm just a lazy bum and I'm sorry. But I do appreciate you all.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha then Kagome would have a better English voice actor, and would end up with either Sesshomaru or Miroku. Obviously that isn't happening.  
  
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Her long lashes fluttered as she finally gained consciousness. I did not want to drag her into all this mess, but the stupid girl had to wake up, had to question me, threaten me, and then make so much freaking noise!  
  
I had tried nice. I had tried mean. But force was the only way to silence her. I told her, I warned her, but she would not listen. I was forced to knock her unconscious and bind her. However, I knew she would tell them exactly what was going on if I left her. Now she's stuck in this stolen vehicle, riding with me to my destination.  
  
I watched her as she looked from the gag in her mouth to over her shoulder, where her hands were tied behind her back. She noticed the bindings on her feet, and when she raised her eyes, it was then she noticed me.  
  
I could tell she was yelling furiously at me by the way her face scrunched up and angry mutterings escaped the gag. I didn't like to see her like that, and I tried to focus on the road.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kagome, but I couldn't let you stop me. I need to win Kikyou back and I need to kill Naraku and I can't let you get in the way of that."  
  
She looked at me with sudden fear in her eyes, and her screams ceased. I could see the questions swimming in her tear-filled eyes, and it nearly broke my heart. It would have been as obvious as if she had blurted out those questions. She was afraid of me, and I felt utter guilt tear at my brain. A headache was forming fast.  
  
The car stopped suddenly, and I watched as she glanced out the window. We were in town, near a decent few company buildings. I climbed out of the car, then ducked my head back inside.  
  
"Kagome.. Kagome, please, just stay here and be quiet. If something happens to me, someone will find you soon enough, don't worry. People visit this area often enough in the evenings, if not sooner."  
  
I wanted to say more, but held my tongue. I was here for Kikyo, I would not betray her by giving in to this strange pull from Kagome. I was not that kind of man.  
  
"Please, don't come after me."  
  
With that, I shut the door and locked it. With a small hesitation, I spun on my heel and walked decisively forward.  
  
.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.  
  
Inuyasha..  
  
He thinks he's so clever, so tough, but I saw the look in his eyes before he left. He was scared. I glanced wildly around, but I could find nothing that would release me from my bindings. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon and as I came to a sudden realization, I panicked.  
  
He hadn't meant to do it, I could tell, but there was no window cracked, and no air conditioning. It was forecasted to be hot today. I could already feel the heat brushing my skin, could taste the thickness of the unfiltered air.  
  
I was going to suffocate.  
  
In a sudden bout of fright, I thrashed violently. I had to escape. I was working on the gag, with quick pressing against the seat behind me, moving the binding upward. I finally managed to slip it off, and looked frightfully at my feet. I moved my bound hands down my back, trying not to scream with frustration as the air quickly thickened, and finally got them around my backside.  
  
My fingers deftly, though painfully slowly, wretched the rope off my ankles. That only left my hands. I tried to maneuver my fingers, but it took many horrifying moments before I finally got a grasp on an end. After much biting and tearing, I slipped those final binds off and leapt upon the door, fumbling with the lock and throwing it open in desperate need.  
  
I tumbled from the car onto the hot pavement and gasped for air, the sudden rush giving me a headache and I slowly picked myself up before I got burned. It took me a moment to get a hold on myself before I wandered, suddenly very frightened.  
  
I was an escaped convict. If I didn't return to the jail, my sentence would be extended, and I would undoubtedly be punished.  
  
What of Sesshomaru? Had he received my note? Did he care? And what of Inuyasha? What did he think he was doing?  
  
I didn't have much time to ponder it as my wrist was suddenly yanked and I was pulled mercilessly into the alley near where the car was parked.  
  
.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.  
  
"Kaede, please! I must go! That foolish mutt has taken Kagome. I can find her, but you must allow me to do so!"  
  
The woman nodded sagely, and gave a pointed look to her husband, who was quivering from the glares sent from a fairly furious Kouga.  
  
"I do believe that in this case it is necessary for ye to conduct the search for Kagome and Inuyasha. However, I find it goes unsaid that if ye do not return, we WILL find ye, and yer sentence will be extended immensely. Do not fail me, Sesshomaru. Kagome's life depends on ye this day. As does yer brother's."  
  
He nodded solemnly as he and Kouga exited the room. He was not immensely thrilled that Kouga was to join them, but it was inevitable, and he needed what help he could get. And it appeared that Kouga was not the only one deigned to join him on his desperate search.  
  
"Keep your FILTHY hands offa me, you dirty houshii!"  
  
"Ah, but Lady Sango, you entrance me."  
  
SLAP  
  
Miroku lay sprawled onto the floor, and Sango approached Sesshomaru and Kouga with an air of satisfaction.  
  
"All right, let's get this thing done. I'm really worried about Kagome, and I don't want this hentai groping me all day."  
  
The silver-blonde haired man nodded and they piled into the designated car for this trip. He was almost positive where his brother had headed, and so he drove, with Sango riding shotgun, and Kouga and Miroku in the back, though Sango had tried to stuff the monk into the trunk, he wouldn't quite fit.  
  
.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.  
  
"Ahh, what a pretty little thing. But these clothes? Your shirt, a basic wife beater.. Boxers, property of a local prison? Escaped convict, eh? That's fine with me, I like 'em rowdy."  
  
Kagome fought against the hands holding her arms relentlessly. Inuyasha had dragged her out in sleep apparel, and she now regretted her choice of clothes for the night. The filthy vagrant leant in for a nasty kiss, and Kagome grimaced most disgustedly.  
  
Eyes closed, she braced herself for the inevitable, and slowly opened her eyes when the hands released her abruptly, followed by the sound of the slamming of clothed flesh against concrete.  
  
Silvery blonde hair pooled lazily around the grubby man as a slim figure gracefully straddled the unshaven creature and began to beat the daylights out of him. Kagome jumped up and, still shaken, laid a hand uncertainly on the more attractive of the two.  
  
"Sesshomaru.. Sesshomaru, we need to find Inuyasha. I think he's in trouble."  
  
The beautiful man stopped him assault suddenly and looked up at her. With a leap, he ensnared her in his embrace and squeezed her tightly, as if uncertain if she were really there.  
  
"Kagome.. Did he hurt you? Are you alright?"  
  
She nodded, muttering, "I'm fine," but began to drag him out of the alley. Seeing the other three clambering out of the car, she grimaced as Miroku's intense look and Kouga's open rage. Sango looked merely worried.  
  
Hauling them all in the direction Inuyasha had headed, she began to panic at what he might attempt. He even seemed uncertain of his own fate in the matter, and she did not want him to die, despite what he had done to her.  
  
"He's going to try and kill Naraku and win back Kikyou.."  
  
That earned a sigh of disbelief from the man of whose arm she clung to as she ran barefoot past buildings, and finally into an alley that eventually ended in a basic door.  
  
"This must be it."  
  
.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.xXx.  
  
There was his blood, everywhere.  
  
Other blood mingled with it now, to the point where no one could discern whose was whose and no one much cared. Survival was all that really mattered. But now more than blood mingled together. Sweat and hair, silk and flesh, it all coated the floors.  
  
Kagura was dead. She had escaped in the frenzy of the disappearances, but it had done her little good. She had stepped in the way of Inuyasha's fury, and he did not hold back. Kanna had managed her own escape, and watched blankly from the corner, with no more emotion than ever.  
  
Naraku perched in the corner, under the mask of a baboon pelt, though his calculating smile was clearly visible, infuriating Inuyasha, and drawing him in. It was as a flutter of a silk kimono that caught his eye when Inuyasha began his dive for the notorious leader, but the sight stopped him short in his tracks.  
  
Kikyo.  
  
She did not smile, did not wave. But she.. she had to be happy to see him? He was her saviour, her godsend, why was she not pleased? She just looked upon him coldly, and he was devastated.  
  
But.. It was another trick of Naraku's! He had certainly brainwashed her, to change her from the warm woman he had loved into this.. this cold, empty shell..  
  
"Kikyou, Kikyou get back! I'll kill Naraku for you, Kikyou!"  
  
He grabbed a decorative sword from the wall, and faced the man. However, a voice that sent shivers trembling down his back stopped him cold.  
  
"Inuyasha, you are a fool."  
  
She pulled a long, glinting knife from her belt and advanced upon him. He looked on, in the shock of one devastated by utter betrayal, and her knife came upon the unmoving victim until a door suddenly flung open.  
  
He looked up, and slowly stood, uncaring of the knife aimed so near his broken heart, and stared.  
  
There was Kikyou, before him, in all her elegance and beauty. Her cold, empty eyes and decorative kimono. Her flawless skin and flowing hair. And behind her, Kagome. Whose eyes were filled with warmth and.. tears? For him? Her strewn hair and wrinkled bedclothes..  
  
It was then he realized just how different these two women were. On first glance, they could be twins, but they were nothing alike. They never were.  
  
And it was then that it also dawned on him just how deep a place in his heart Kagome had placed herself. Kikyou had slowly slipped out of his inner thoughts, replaced by feelings for Kagome.  
  
Both women stared at him, and he watched, in horror, as Naraku pulled two swords from his piles of robes.  
  
"Choose you this day, Inuyasha, who will you serve?"  
  
And he threw the knives in separate directions. One headed for Kikyou, and the other for Kagome, and there was no way he could save them both. He knew that, and he hated it. Hated himself, for causing this situation.  
  
If it weren't for him, neither woman would be facing death at this moment. A tear slipped from his eye for the woman he once loved, and a sigh slipped from his lips. He knew that Naraku was counting on him to save Kikyou.  
  
"That's what you think," Inuyasha whispered sadly.  
  
He dove for her, bringing her down with him with a gasp onto the cold, hard floor, and the blade whizzed over her head, barely knocking a few hairs. The sickening sound of a blade entering flesh embedded itself permanently into his mind, however, as the knife severed the shell that once was Kikyou, and would never again be.  
  
"Kagome.."  
  
She threw her arms around his neck, stopping any words but a surprised grunt managed to escape his throat.  
  
"I was so worried, Inu."  
  
He buried his face in her matted hair, then slowly released her as he felt the presence of others entering, along with the fact that Naraku still remained alive. With a violence that wracked his very being to the core, Inuyasha tore the blade from Kikyou's lifeless form and swiftly drove it through the baboon-pelted man. He hadn't even the chance to blink as the lifeblood slowly ebbed from his body. Kanna had flitted out during the battle, and Kagome's happy exclamation caught his attention and he glanced up, with bittersweet disappointment, realizing Kagome rushed into his brother's arms, and he returned the embrace with vigor.  
  
Kagome was never his, but neither was Kikyou. Kikyou was only the shadow of her former self, and it pained him to see it. He was selfish in saving Kagome, he admitted to himself, but deep in his heart he knew she would never be his and her reaction to his brother merely enforced it.  
  
They all eventually clambered into the car and headed back to the prison. Upon their arrival, Kagome and Inuyasha relayed their parts of the story, and Kaede was most understanding. For killing the ultimate wanted man in all of Japan, they were justly rewarded.  
  
"We're out. Sesshomaru, can you believe it?"  
  
He smiled softly and kissed her on the nose.  
  
"We can start all over, Kagome. We can live our lives normally. Together."  
  
Two distraught, heartbroken pairs of eyes watched the scene, and each turned away.  
  
There were more available women in Japan, certainly, as they both knew, but who wants to clutch a creature when you have held an angel in your arms?  
  
xXXXXxXXXXxXXXXxXXXXxXXXXxXXXXx  
  
And so ends "That's What You Think". I just figured I'd wrap it up since I'm not much into it any more. Sorry it sucks so incredibly badly..  
  
Cream Puffs & Cheesecake  
  
Reiko 


End file.
